29
Dec
2007
Suzanna Pillay, 2007/12/28 Dec
2007
Winter at Club Med Sahoro.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Jack Frost certainly has been busy. This thought crosses my mind as I gaze at the wintry scene before me as I step off the bus at the entrance of Club Med Sahoro.
Everything is a blinding white and it’s as if I’ve stepped into a scene pictured on a Christmas greeting card.
The trees are completely bare, except for traces of snow which seems to cover every speck of the landscape of this 20-year old ski-village.
Pristine snowcapped mountains loom majestically in the background, a reminder that this IS the destination for ski and skateboarding enthusiasts.
There’s definitely a nip in the air, a reminder that the outdoor temperature is within the range of minus 7 to minus 8 degrees centigrade, as invisible icy fingers pinch my ears and cheeks and cause me to shiver.
Welcome to Club Med Sahoro, a wintry wonderland on the island of Hokkaido, located 170km from Sapporo, Japan.
This month, the mountain resort opens its doors for its winter ski season after a complete revamp to offer guests a better experience in its winter wonderland setting.
To mark the occasion, the resort invited media from the Asia Pacific region to experience ‘a white christmas’ for themselves.
Hisako Horikawa, hotel service manager of Club Med Sahoro, who showed us around the newly renovated ski village, tells us that all 183 rooms of the village, which include superior, deluxe rooms and suites, have been renovated as have the common areas. Every bedroom is equipped with futons and western style beds.
As like any Club Med village in other parts of the world the price guests pay to stay at Sahoro include accommodation, three meals a day, unlimited wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, an all day snacking and bar service, live evening entertainment and a daily ski package for all age groups.
The all-inclusive premiums includes ski passes and ski school for any age from four years with the resort’s qualified ski instructors who are on hand to give ski and snowboard lessons to kids and adults of all levels.
She says parents with young children need not worry about how to keep their kids happy at the resort while they (parents) go skiing.
“We have suitable programmes that allow children to explore a multitude of activities, catering to their specific interest and age groups,” she says.
Club Med’s international Gentle Organisers will care for children aged from birth to 12 years old at their specially designated playgroups: Baby Welcome, Petit Club Med, Mini Club Med and Juniors Club Med.
For non-skiers there is a choice of leisurely day pursuits including nature walks, snow-shoeing and excursions to nearby hot springs.
After a day at the slopes, she says guests can try out the Canadian bath or outdoor hot ofuro (a Japanese traditional heated bath) to relax and soothe tired muscles, both of which have been added to the club’s facilities after the revamp.
Another added attraction is the brand new Pirka spa, which houses a heated swimming pool, jacuzzi and indoor sauna.
The next few days of our visit we were free to explore the ski village. Remember that saying, ‘when in Rome...’?
Well, we certainly embraced it. Flinging caution to the winds this group of normally sedentary people tried everything from ski sports like skiing and snow trekking, to very Japanese traditions like folding a furoshiki (traditional Japanese wrapping cloth) in a Club-med organised workshop.
The word furoshiki is a combination of the Japanese words furo meaning bath and a form of the verb shiki which means “to spread “.
It gets its name from its use by patrons visiting the sentos (public bath houses) during Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868) when it was carried by patrons to place their clothing and bathing articles in.
Today it is considered an art and is used to wrap and carry almost everything from gifts to other everyday items.
It is amazing how a few strategic knots tied here and there on a piece of fabric can result in an array of pretty and useful carriers.
We managed to absorb more Japanese culture in short excursions just outside the village, where we had the opportunity to try soba (buckwheat noodle) making at Shintoku Town, Soba Road and the Kuttari Onsen, a Japanese hot spring half an hour away from the ski village.
Soba Road is so named for the 1km profusion of soba blooms (buckwheat) that grows along its route.
In the centre of the Soba Road is “Soba-no-Yakata”, a place where you can make soba and visit restaurants /shops.
I discovered that the Japanese art of soba making is indeed one requiring a lot of patience and skill. You are required to fold the dough at least 16 times to get great soba.
The Japanese tradition of public bathing at an Onsen (hot spring), meanwhile, is a concept which definitely takes a little getting used to.
You have to cleanse yourself before entering the hot springs which are meant to relax and rejuvenate tired muscles.
The challenge? You have to enter without a stitch of clothing on. Fortunately there are completely separate areas for the different genders, and once you stop feeling self-conscious you realise that no one is looking at you and actually start to enjoy the therapeutic water.
There are no words that can quite describe the sensation of soaking yourself in a hot open air bath with a beautiful snow covered lake before you.
For me, what made the trip to Club Med Sahoro so special was the fabulous winter scenery and the chance to sample Japanese culture and customs. That Onsen is pretty addictive.
The writer’s flight to Japan was provided by Japan Airlines (JAL). Accommodation at Club Med Sahoro was courtesy of Club Med.
Source: http://www.nst.com.my
- for those who are going to Village via Obihiro, after the 5 - 10 minutes, the coach drives you through the most uninspiring scenery of used car lots, scrap and industrial yards and buildings for almost 20 minutes.
